Empty Spaces
by Little Minamino
Summary: Matsuoka Yuuki was fascinated by motorcycles. Naturally, that fascination had roots involving Nishikado Soujirou, but then again, what in her life didn't anymore? JDrama-verse SouYuu TsuTsu RuiShi Rated for language (you have been warned!) Sequel to "Weakness." You don't need to read that one first, but it would probably help.


**Empty Spaces**

* * *

Matsuoka Yuuki was fascinated by motorcycles. Naturally, that fascination had roots involving Nishikado Soujirou, but then again, what in her life didn't anymore? It was probably strange that when other girls would dream of Soujirou in more promiscuous light (to put it mildly), Yuuki's dreams involving Soujirou—awake or asleep—always had to do with riding on the back of his bike.

The dreams were always so real that she could feel the wind blow through her hair as she leaned against his back, her arms wrapped firmly around his waist. She would smile slightly and look up to watch the sun gleam on his black helmet and then sigh in contentment as she closed her eyes. And then they would just ride for hours until she finally woke up.

There was a reason for that, of course. Not allowing a girl to ride on his bike was Soujirou's way of declaring his indisputable bachelorhood. To let a girl—any girl—invade that space would be like a declaration of surrender. And Nishikado Soujirou surrendered to no one.

Yuuki let out a depressed 'hm' as she descended the stairs of her university, absently looking around for her cousin's old, beat up car. Normally, she took the train, but her last class had been held over for almost twenty minutes, so she'd called Shin for a ride to work. The distinct hum of a motorcycle filled Yuuki's ears, and she unconsciously jerked around to find the source. It wasn't Soujirou, she knew that instinctively, but she couldn't help herself.

She spotted the sleek black machine easily as it slid into a tight space between two cars parked too close together. She recognized the rider as Shin even before he removed his helmet. His long black hair fell about his shoulders in choppy layers, and even from so far, she recognized his trademark crucifix earring that he never seemed to take off. He ran his hand through his hair, giving it a little flick at the end, and Yuuki rolled her eyes at the number of feminine sighs that followed the action.

Shin looked up, his clear gray eyes scanning the steps, and grinned cockily when he spotted her. He lifted his hand and gave a slight wave.

"Yo, Yuuki!" He called, his voice clear and smooth. One of the girls next to her missed a step and would have fallen if her friend hadn't grabbed her arm. Yuuki bit back a snicker. She knew better than anyone that her cousin was both handsome and confident. But while he came off as a ladies' man, she also knew that he was extremely loyal. And married to boot. To a very nice girl.

Haru, Shin's wife, and Yuuki had quickly become good friends, and Yuuki generally turned to her for advice regarding Soujirou. In his pre-marriage days, Shin was much the same as Soujirou, and he didn't settle down until almost four years after meeting Haru. With Haru, of course. Now, at twenty-nine, Shin had been married for five years and had a three year old daughter named Hinata. And if that wasn't enough, Haru was not only pregnant again but due in less than three weeks.

"So, what do you think?" Shin motioned towards his bike once Yuuki was on ground level. She circled the bike like an appraiser, her fist to her chin as she feigned deep concentration.

"Not bad. Where'd you get it?"

"It belonged to Haru's dad. He gave it to me to celebrate my promotion," Shin said with a smirk, and Yuuki squealed.

"You got it? Really?!"

"There was a doubt?"

Yuuki squealed again as she tackled him into a hug. He was so surprised that he almost fell off the bike but somehow managed to regain his balance, laughing all the while.

"Easy there, people might think you like me."

"Shut up." Yuuki laughed, slapping his leather-clad shoulder. Then she caught a glimpse of her watch and gave him a mock glare. "Now look, you've almost made me late!"

"Well, we can't have that!" Shin passed Yuuki a spare helmet. "Your chariot, my lady."

Yuuki took it, suddenly apprehensive. She'd always wanted to ride a motorcycle but only ever had one specifically in mind. Riding any other bike almost seemed like cheating on Soujirou, and yet…Hadn't he made it perfectly clear that he had no feelings for her? It had been six years since they met, and other than her kidnapping last year, which had led to her using his given name, not a single inch of progress had been made.

Oh, she knew she'd keep loving him, it was like a disease with no cure, but did that mean she couldn't live what little life she had left?

"Who's holding us up now, princess?" Shin mocked, and Yuuki rolled her eyes before setting the white, bowl-shaped object on her head and snapping the neck straps closed. Shin strapped her backpack to the small luggage rack on the back, and she slid behind him with ease. Her hands came up to wrap around his waist, and she leaned forward as he revved the motor. Her eyes closed as they pulled away from the curb. She easily imagined it was Soujirou she was riding with as the wind tugged at her hair, and a small smile played on her lips.

#

Soujirou liked being busy. Unlike most of the rich people he knew, he never could settle for letting someone else do his work for him. He just wasn't the 'idle' type. Currently, he was on his way home from a seven-hour conference that had been going since nine in the morning. Not much was settled on, though that wasn't unusual in business, and most of the hours had been whittled away by arguing and small talk. It was only by sheer luck that he was able to get the contract completed before everyone went home.

At the moment, his car was stopped at a red light, and Soujirou looked up when a couple pulled up alongside them on a sleek black motorcycle. It wasn't as nice as his, but it looked to be in good condition. The man must have said something funny because his girlfriend laughed and swatted at his back, her long black hair tangled from the wind. She reminded him of Yuuki.

He rolled his stiff shoulders and brushed a piece of lint from the arm of his custom made, 600,000-yen William Fioravanti suit. He really liked this suit. Yuuki had helped choose it for a weeklong conference in L.A. last spring. The five pending deals had gone off without a hitch, and so he'd worn it to every meeting since then, dubbing it his 'lucky suit'.

On a whim, he glanced down at his watch. It wasn't quite four-thirty, but Yuuki should be arriving at the dango shop in less than five minutes. She was always very prompt. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to look in on her—one never knew what trouble the naïve girl was getting herself into—Soujirou leaned forward to instruct his driver to take the next right.

He stopped abruptly; the words caught in his throat as he whipped around to focus again on the couple next to him. His mouth went dry, and his heart began to pound when he realized why the girl had reminded him of Yuuki. She _was_ Yuuki. Sitting on the back of _some man's_ motorcycle laughing and smiling like he was the only person in the world who mattered.

What. The. _Hell_?!

"Nishikado-san?" his driver asked as the light turned green, and Yuuki and _that man_ drove off.

"Get me home!" Soujirou snapped. "Now!"

"Y-yes, sir!" The old man said, and the car lurched forward. Soujirou didn't care as he pulled out his cell phone and punched in a number on his speed-dial. He waited impatiently for two rings before the other line clicked open.

"What's up, Soujirou?"

"Screw the pleasantries, Akira," Soujirou snapped. "I need you to meet me at my house. It's an emergency."

For a moment, Akira was silent, no doubt stunned, and when he spoke up again his voice was deadly serious.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Make it ten," Soujirou said before ending the call and dialing a new number.

#

"Thanks for the ride, Shin," Yuuki said, absolutely elated when she climbed off the back of his bike. "I owe you one."

"One? You owe me two!" he said with a laugh, and Yuuki's eyebrow rose in confusion.

"How do you figure that?"

"You still haven't given me my 'congratulations on your promotion oh totally awesome cousin of mine' gift yet."

Yuuki snorted. "I'll make a list."

"You get off late tonight, right?" Shin said, suddenly serious. She nodded. "Should I pick you up? It's not the best idea to ride the train alone so late."

She thought it over for a minute before she nodded. "That should be fine. Soujirou-kun or Akira-san sometimes come pick me up, but I'll call and tell them not to bother."

Concern flashed across Shin's face at her words, and Yuuki canted her head. "What?"

"It's nothing major," Shin said, hesitant. "But should you really call him 'Soujirou-kun'? I know he said you could use his given name, but -kun is a bit informal. Not to mention kind of juvenile. He is the president of Nishikado Enterprise."

"Ah," Yuuki said, realization and something else—disappointment?—twinging in her stomach. "I suppose that's true…"

"Just think about it, okay Yuuki? I know you like the guy, but I'm tired of seeing you hurt."

"I'll think about it."

"Great," Shin said with a sudden grin. "Anyway, we're having my 'congratulations' party at nine-thirty, so I'll pick you up at nine. Make sure you have my gift!"

"Oh, go home already!" Yuuki laughed, and Shin gave her a boyish grin and a quick wave before he snapped on his helmet and drove off.

Shaking her head, Yuuki stepped into the dango shop where she was greeted by a frazzled looking Tsukushi.

"Are you alright, Tsukushi?"

"Me? Yes, I'm fine. It's Tsukasa I'm worried about."

"Domyoji-kun?" Yuuki said, alarmed. "What's wrong with him?"

"That's just it!" Tsukushi said, clearly frustrated. "I have no idea! About five minutes ago, he got a call from Nishikado and bolted out of here like…like…I don't even know!"

"Soujirou-kun?" Yuuki's alarm was growing. "Do you think something happened to Akira-san or Hanazawa-san?"

"I don't know!" Tsukushi sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Sorry, I just…so many bad things have already happened you know? I'd hoped that once we got married things would…I don't know…settle down or something…"

"Tsukushi, this is the F-Four we're talking about. They'll never be normal, and we're just lucky they're as 'settled' as they are. Still, I am worried…" Yuuki pulled out her phone and stared at the blank screen for just a moment before she pushed her contact button and the screen lit up. "I was going to call Soujirou-kun and tell him not to pick me up tonight, I'll ask him if something's wrong too."

"Do you think he'll tell you?" Tsukushi said anxiously, spinning her wedding ring around her finger. "You know how they are about 'protecting' us."

Yuuki shrugged. "It's worth a shot." She pushed the call button and the phone began to ring.

"I'm calling Shigeru," Tsukushi said suddenly. "Maybe Rui said something to her about it."

Yuuki nodded just as the line snapped on. "Moshi moshi? Soujirou-kun?"

#

Soujirou was pacing his entryway like a caged animal when his phone went off, the familiar ring signaling it was Yuuki. So, she was calling to confess, huh? He flipped it open harshly.

"Moshi moshi? Soujirou-kun?" Yuuki said, her voice soothing his fire just a bit.

"Yo, Yuuki," he said, feigning casualness. "What do you need?"

"Ano…is…everything okay?"

So, she was going to hide it, huh? Well, two could play at that game. "Everything's perfect. How about _you_?"

She was quiet for a moment before she answered. "I'm fine, but…Soujirou-kun, are you sure you're okay? You sound upset about something…"

He did? But he was hiding it! Was it possible she actually knew him well enough to see through his acting? That thought almost scared him. "Not at all. What makes you think that?"

"Well…um, did you call Domyoji-kun? Tsukushi's worried about him."

"I have something to talk to him about," Soujirou said easily. "It's nothing important."

"…If you say so, Soujirou-kun."

"Ja, Yuuki. I'll see you after work."

"Ano, that's why I was calling," she said, and Soujirou felt his heart clench at her tone. She sounded…guilty. "You don't have to come. I already have a ride."

"…Do you?" he said, his voice undeniably cold. "How nice for you."

"Soujirou-kun?"

"My friends are here. Ja."

He snapped the phone shut at the same moment a knock sounded on the door. He jumped a little, not actually expecting any of his friends to arrive so early, and pulled the door open to find Tsukasa standing there. He was completely winded.

"What's…the…emergency?" he said, gasping for breath. Soujirou wondered if Tsukasa ran the whole way. That actually wouldn't surprise him.

"Let's wait for the others. Want some water?"

Tsukasa nodded and followed Soujirou into the sitting room where Han, the Nishikado's butler, was waiting with a tray of water. Efficient as always.

The next fifteen minutes seemed to drag as they waited for Rui and Akira to show up. They came in together, both unaffected by Soujirou's death glare.

"You're late."

"It takes thirty minutes to get from my house to yours on a good day Soujirou. You called in the middle of rush-hour," Akira said. "Now what's the problem? Is it Tsukushi-chan?"

"It's not Makino," Tsukasa said, still calling his wife by her maiden name. "I was just with her at the dango shop."

"It's Yuuki," Soujirou said gravely. Everyone tensed. Out of the two, Yuuki was the least likely to get into trouble, but that didn't rule anything out; especially considering what happened in Nerima the year before. His friends waited with bated breath for him to continue. "I was going to the dango shop earlier when I saw her on a motorcycle with some guy. Akira, can you get some men—"

"Are you serious?" Akira said, completely floored. "You called us here because Yuuki-chan found a boyfriend?"

Soujirou glared. "He's not her boyfriend," he snapped. "He's obviously trying to get at us for some reason."

"What do you mean 'obviously'?" Rui asked.

"Yeah? You think she's not good enough for a boyfriend?" Tsukasa demanded, and Soujirou took a step back.

"What? No! But why would she get a boyfriend when she has—" He stopped, and Akira folded his arms.

"Has what, Soujirou?" He demanded but his friend stayed stubbornly silent. "Has you?"

Tsukasa burst out laughing. "So, after all these years, she finally wised up and dumped you! It's about time!"

"She didn't dump me!"

"Seeing as they were never dating, dumping him would be impossible," Rui pointed out, and Tsukasa nodded.

"That's a good point."

"Look, all I'm saying is that we need to look into this!" Soujirou said, and Akira shook his head, completely bemused.

"Then look into it yourself. I'm going home."

"Makino's probably worried," Tsukasa said. "I'll see you later, Soujirou."

"Guys!"

"Ne, Soujirou." Rui put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You do know I'm getting married in two weeks?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Next time you have an emergency, make sure it's an emergency."

Rui left without a backward glance. Once the door shut, Soujirou let out a frustrated yell and kicked the couch before stumbling back with a curse. He forgot he wasn't wearing shoes.

#

It had been a week since 'the incident,' and not for the first time, Soujirou was standing across the street from Yuuki's dango shop. He watched her smile at a customer as she passed over a bag of sweets. The older woman bowed, which Yuuki returned, and she left the shop.

Being so far away, Soujirou couldn't hear her, but he knew that she was humming while she straitened the displays. She always hummed while she worked. He doubted she even noticed.

Okami-san flitted into the main shop, no doubt said something ridiculous, and Yuuki gave her a tolerant smile before sharing a bemused glance with Tsukushi.

He hadn't talked to Yuuki at all since that night a week ago, and Akira—who still gave her an occasional ride—said that the silence was starting to wear on her. Soujirou tried not to feel pleased by that revelation, the last thing he wanted was for Yuuki to wear herself out, but it at least meant that she still cared.

Of _course_, she cared. She'd spent six years caring. Why suddenly stop now?

Feeling confident, Soujirou pulled out of the alley and drove his bike around the block so he could park in front of the dango shop. Yuuki looked up with a wide smile as he cut the engine, but her smile quickly dropped to a frown when he removed his helmet. Soujirou tried to pretend that didn't bother him.

"Yo, Yuuki-chan. Makino," he said as he stepped into the shop.

"There's something I don't understand," Yuuki said, and Soujirou preened, expecting her to ask why he hadn't been around or something similar. Instead, she turned to Tsukushi with a bemused expression. "You've been married to Domyoji-kun for almost a year now. So why does everyone still call you Makino?"

"I . . ." Tsukushi trailed off, as she thought over what her friend said. "That's a good question. I suppose they're just used to it?" She paused. "Well, actually, Akira-san calls me by my name," Tsukushi amended.

"He does?" Yuuki asked before thinking back with a slow nod. "You're right. He does. Why doesn't that bother Domyoji-kun? Even _he_ calls you Makino still!"

Tsukushi waved her hand dismissively. "Only outside of the bedroom."

Yuuki flushed. "Tsukushi!"

"Yes!" Tsukushi pointed. "Just like that. Well, Tsukasa's voice is deeper, of course."

"Tsu—!" Yuuki stopped and shook her head, her face a becoming shade of rose pink. "I suppose I deserved that, but I'll stop there. As much as I like Domyoji-kun, that is too much information for me."

Unused to being ignored, especially by Yuuki, Soujirou cleared his throat. Yuuki turned in surprise, as if she'd somehow forgotten he was there in so short a time.

"Yes, Soujirou-san? Was there something you needed?"

Soujirou's mind blanked, and his mouth ran dry.

"-san?" he asked, the question out and hovering awkwardly in the suddenly expansive space between them.

"Ah," Yuuki said. "Yes. Shin reminded me that it was impolite to use such a familiar suffix as -kun with Soujirou-san. He said you're too old and distinguished to address so casually." Yuuki bowed politely. "I'm sorry if I offended you, Soujirou-san. It won't happen again."

Soujirou stared at Yuuki, unsure what to say or do or even how to process what she'd just said. -kun was too informal? They'd known each other for six years! And what was with 'Shin'? Were she and that guy suddenly so close that she felt comfortable saying his name without a suffix? Just how well did they know each other?

He felt a sharp tingle at the base of his spine and barely suppressed a bone-wracking shudder as he stared at Yuuki's radiant face in horror. Had she and that guy had sex? He wasn't sure if he was about to throw up or kill someone, but it would definitely be one of those two. Maybe both.

"Soujirou-san? Are you all right?"

Soujirou gaped like a fish, unable to find the words to ask the question he really didn't want an answer to.

"Oi, Nishikado." Tsukushi slammed her palm on the glass counter. "If you won't buy anything, then please leave. Yuuki and I have work that needs done."

"I—"

The hum of a motorcycle appeared in the distance, and Yuuki perked up. She watched the shop door intently before breaking out into a brilliant smile as a black motorcycle pulled up to the curb beside Soujirou's. The rider pulled off his glossy black helmet to reveal shaggy black hair, a crucifix earring, and a face so handsome Soujirou wanted to break the guy's nose on principle.

"Excuse me, Tsukushi, Soujirou-san." Yuuki didn't even wait for a response as she bolted for the door, an anxious smile on her face. The automatic door opened then closed behind her, sealing him away from Yuuki and that shady guy with the messy hair and pretty face. She ran right to the guy, who grinned at her and swept her into an exuberant hug. They twirled around the street with abandon, completely unconcerned with the fact that they were in public. Soujirou's hand fisted so tightly his nails dug into his palm.

"Ah." Tsukushi slapped her fist against her palm in realization. "It must be about the baby."

Soujirou's heart lurched, and he nearly threw up right there.

"Baby?" he said, fighting to keep the panic from his voice. "Isn't that too soon?"

"It is a bit," Tsukushi agreed before waving toward the glass door. "But it looks like everything worked out."

"That's all you have to say?" Soujirou demanded. "You, Makino Tsukushi, who stalked us on a simple date, are just fine with this?"

"It's Domyoji Tsukushi," she said, planting her hands on her hips with a glare. "And this and that are completely different. Yuuki—" Her eyes went back to the door, and she stopped, a smile replacing her scowl. "Looks like Yuuki is leaving."

"What?!" Soujirou spun around, and sure enough, Yuuki was climbing onto the back of that guy's bike while strapping on a helmet. "Is she crazy? She can't ride that thing! What if she got hurt?"

Tsukushi eyed him skeptically as she grabbed a cloth to wipe down the glass display case. "Shin-san is a careful driver, and the hospital is only a few blocks away."

"Which one?" Soujirou demanded, his eyes glued to Yuuki's back as that guy drove off.

"Eh?"

"Which hospital?!"

"Tokyo South. But what—?"

Soujirou ran out before she could finish and threw a leg over his bike. He didn't know what he was doing, what he would say, or how he would say it. He only knew that the last time he'd felt like this, Yuuki had a knife at her throat and almost died. Back then, all he wanted was to hear her say his name, now he didn't know what he wanted from her, he just knew that he didn't want to lose her. _Couldn't_ lose her. Not without telling her.

_Tell her what, idiot? _Soujirou asked himself as he jammed on his helmet and revved his bike. Unfortunately, he didn't know the answer. All he knew was that, whatever it was, he needed to tell her before it was too late.

He could only pray he hadn't already missed his once in a lifetime chance. Not again.

#

"What do you mean the caterer fell through? The wedding is in a week!"

Rui looked over the top of his book, curious but not really concerned. This was, strangely enough, a common occurrence since his engagement to Shigeru was finalized and the wedding plans began. No one had really expected it, but it wasn't much of a surprise either; Tsukasa had been just as much of a diva about his own wedding. Except this time, he was the best man, and he took his 'job' very seriously.

"Do you know who I am? I'm Domyoji Tsukasa! Do you think I care that the shop burned down? I'll buy a new one! I don't care what it takes, I booked Tsukishima Catering because they're the best, and I expect the best for my best friend's wedding!"

Rui thought about letting Tsukasa know that he really didn't care who catered, he just wanted to get married. But then he decided that watching his friend pace like a caged animal as he put the million-dollar wedding planner Shigeru's parents insisted on hiring to shame was just too good a show to cancel prematurely. Besides, everything else Tsukasa insisted on for the wedding had turned out to be exactly what Rui and Shigeru wanted, though they hadn't known it until Tsukasa announced his latest success. Rui was 78% sure he didn't want to know how Tsukasa knew his ex-fiancée, and Rui's future wife, so well. He'd just decided to be glad he only needed minimal input in the wedding plans and left it at that.

"That's more like it. And while you're at it, write a stock share clause into the lease for the new building; Tsukishima is a name people will know in the future, and I want Domyoji attached to it."

Chuckling, Rui went back to his book. Which was, of course, exactly when his phone rang. He almost ignored it—it was almost certainly that annoying wedding planner trying to change all of Tsukasa's plans—but he decided at the last second to at least answer it. After all, the caller might be Shigeru. If he let it go to voice mail, he'd never hear the end of it. Ever.

He wasn't sure why that thought made him smile as he answered the call, but it did.

"Yo."

"Hanazawa Rui?" Tsukushi sounded worried, and that made Rui straighten up. "Is Tsukasa with you? He isn't answering his phone."

Rui glanced over automatically to where Tsukasa was still negotiating the terms of his new, unexpected business deal.

"Aa. Are you all right?"

"I am, but there's something wrong with Nishikado. Yuuki was on the way to the hospital with her cousin, and I think he followed her."

"Is that right." Rui sat back in his chair, one hand raising to his chin in thought. He wasn't worried about Yuuki; if she was injured or sick, Tsukushi would have said so right away. Instead, he focused on the more interesting tid-bits in Tsukushi's story. "Ne, Makino, does Matsuoka's cousin have a motorcycle?"

"Eh?" Tsukushi said, shock permeating her voice. "How did you know?"

Rui grinned, hiding it behind his hand. "Just a guess. Why is Matsuoka at the hospital? She wasn't injured?"

"No, no. Shin-san, Yuuki's cousin, his wife is having a baby, but it came early. Yuuki was really worried about it, so Shin-san said he would come get her when the baby was born." There was a quick pause. "Does Nishikado know Shin-san? He seemed very worried when I mentioned the baby. Maybe Yuuki told him about it?"

Rui, who knew very well that Soujirou and Yuuki hadn't spoken to each other for almost a week, pressed his lips together and hummed noncommittally. "What exactly happened before Soujirou left?"

"Ano sa…" Tsukushi paused to think. "Shin-san rode up, and Yuuki went out to meet him. Everything must have gone well because they hugged and laughed, they were obviously very excited. Then Yuuki got on the motorcycle behind Shin-san, and they left."

"I see." It took all of Rui's self-control not to burst out laughing. "And what exactly did you say?"

"Nothing, just that it must be about the baby."

Rui choked on a laugh, imagining the horror on Soujirou's face as he watched the girl he refused to admit he was in love with twirl around the street in giddiness over another man's baby. Being the idiot he was, Soujirou probably assumed the baby was Matsuoka's and Shin was her boyfriend.

"Oi, Rui!" Tsukasa shouted, one hand covering his phone. "Keep it down, would you? I'm trying to work!"

"Was that Tsukasa?" Tsukushi asked.

"Aa." Rui stuttered a bit as he tried to suppress his laughter. "He's buying a catering store."

"Ehh? What for?"

"Apparently the old one burned down, and he wanted to make sure the food was ready for the wedding."

"Unbelievable," Tsukushi muttered before giving a fond sigh. "Well, let him know I'll work late tonight to cover Yuuki's shift. He can come pick me up at nine."

"You know you don't have to work. Tsukasa—"

"Is my husband, not my sugar-daddy."

Once again, Rui choked on his laughter, waving away Tsukasa's glare with he looked over. "Su-sugar—?" He couldn't even get the words out, it was so absurd.

"Yes. I'm perfectly capable of paying for my own college. Ah, Hanazawa Rui, I need to go. A customer just walked in."

"Aa. Do your best."

"Hai!"

Rui hung up and stared at the phone for a moment before it became too much; he dissolved into laughter, holding his stomach with one hand while he pounded the arm of his chair with the other.

"Oi! Rui!"

Unfortunately for Tsukasa, his irritation only made Rui laugh harder.

#

Soujirou pulled into the hospital parking garage and toured the various levels until he found the familiar black bike of Yuuki's….not a boyfriend. But if they were having a kid together, would it be better or worse if they were in a relationship? His knee-jerk reaction was to insist Yuuki would be better off without some idiot who obviously didn't know his way around a condom, but there was a smaller, almost selfless part that insisted that Yuuki would need that man's support in the coming months and that every baby deserved to have a father.

But why _that_ guy? He was obviously no good, he had an earring and wore a leather jacket for Inari's sake! And what was with that long hair? Hadn't Yuuki learned from what happened the last time she went out with a wanna-be 'bad boy'?

Grumbling, Soujirou climbed off his bike and shrugged out of his jacket—it was too hot for the dark leather. His helmet went next, the padding tugging uncomfortably at his earrings as he pulled it off just a little too hard. He stowed both the jacket and helmet in his bike's seat compartment and finger combed his long hair until it was straight.

"Put on your Game-Face, Soujirou," he scolded, rubbing his cheeks and forehead until they were wrinkle free and in some semblance of his usual nonchalant teasing.

The hospital lobby was clear of any waiting patients, so Soujirou strode right up to the reception desk where a western-looking nurse sat clacking away at her keyboard. She glanced up, the florescent lights glinting off the lenses of her knock-off Kate Spade glasses. She smiled robotically—something Soujirou wasn't used to from anyone and which he would definitely fix if he wasn't in so much of a hurry—and tilted her head just a bit.

"May I help you?" Her Japanese was surprisingly good, even her inflections were right, which completely derailed his usual pickup line for cute foreign girls, and since he didn't have a backup line, he skipped over his customary flirtations and settled his forearm on the counter to lean forward with a strained smile of his own.

"Yes, I'm here for Yuu…Matsuoka-san." The name tasted like ash in his mouth. The last time he used her name so formally, Yuuki still hated his guts for being an indiscriminate womanizer. "Could you give me her room number, please?"

"Hm." The foreign woman turned back to the computer, pushing her golden brown bangs out of her face as she searched through the registry Soujirou could almost read from the reflection on her glasses. She scrolled and typed then scrolled some more, and Soujirou forced himself not to fidget. "Ah, Matsuoka-san." The woman glanced up. "Are you friend or family?"

Soujirou honestly had no idea how to answer that. They weren't really friends, they were too close for that, but they definitely weren't family either. Except Makino was Yuuki's best friend and Tsukasa was his best friend, so if Makino was married to Tsukasa, that sort of made him and Yuuki almost family, right? And family, however distant, was much more likely to get into a hospital room than a "sort of friend".

"Family." He ignored the thrill that word sent up his spine as it settled somewhere deep into his soul. "We're family."

"All right." The nurse hummed as she grabbed a pen and paper pad, not even questioning him. Relief mixed with the resonating echo of the word "family," as if pleased to have someone agree with the designation—however passively. She wrote out a number and ripped the tiny page free before handing it over. "Please be sensitive to the atmosphere as there are still some concerns. If you're asked to leave, please leave at once."

The pleasant warmth in his belly dissolved as Soujirou took the paper, forcing his hand not to tremble as his fingers closed around the bright white slip. What did she mean concerns? Was something wrong with Yuuki? With her baby? Nodding a quick, almost offensive thanks to the nurse, Soujirou hurried for the elevators. Vague statistics floated around his head as he cycled through every possible thing he knew about babies and pregnancies—which, outside of the construction process, wasn't much.

How likely was it for a woman to die from a pregnancy this early? Or could the baby die? What if it was sick or Yuuki was sick? Would that pretty-faced bad boy stick around if something went wrong? What if he already took off and Yuuki was alone in a cold hospital room crying her eyes out because she had no one to take care of her?

Soujirou skidded to a halt in front of the elevator doors and slammed his finger against the call button again and again. Bystanders protested in his wake, many calling out accusations of rudeness or warnings not to run in the hospital. Fortunately, no one tried to stop him. The mood he was in, he was as likely to throw a punch as he was the contents of his wallet if it meant getting him to Yuuki's side that much faster.

Images of Yuuki laying in a bed clutching a diagnosis with tears running down her face yanked hard at Soujirou's heart, almost making him stumble into the newly opened elevator. She must be so scared, so alone. And what of the baby? How far along was she? He vaguely remembered something about miscarriages being most common in the first three months, is that what happened? Soujirou tried to swallow the burning lump in his throat as he prayed to every kami he knew that that wasn't the case.

It wasn't that Soujirou was particularly happy that Yuuki was having some other man's baby—actually, that really, really sucked—but he couldn't help but picture her as a mother. She would be so good at it, so patient and attentive and loving—everything his own mother wasn't. He could so easily see her cradling their new infant in her arms, her face sweaty but triumphant as she looked up at him, happy tears in her eyes, and bid him come look at the miracle they'd made together.

He would prefer a son, of course. Not only would a boy carry on the Nishikado name, but he wouldn't have to worry so much about what a boy might get up to behind his back. Kami knew, though, Soujirou would end up with a girl just as beautiful and kind and perfect as her mother. Soujirou shuddered at the thought, staring at his wide-eyed reflection in the brightly polished elevator wall. What would he do if his beautiful daughter ever came home with hearts in her eyes over some worthless guy?

What if his baby girl had _sex_?

The elevator came to a stop on the fourth floor, and Soujirou swayed with the sudden shift to stillness as his stomach lurched. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so continuously nauseous, but it was probably that one time a few years ago when he'd gotten the flu. Yuuki had stayed at his house to help nurse him because his parents were both out of town on business. Not that they'd have looked after him even if they'd been at home.

Shaking himself free of the nightmare of his daughter getting busy with some no-account punk—_I'd __**kill**__ him_—Soujirou double-checked the room number the nurse had written down. 478. He was in the low thirties, so he probably had a ways to go.

His stomach growing more riotous with every step, Soujirou swallowed again and again as he tried to think of what he could possibly say to Yuuki in her time of need.

_I'm sorry this happened. He's not worth your tears. You're not alone. I'm here. I'll never leave. I love you._

Soujirou miss-stepped, nearly tumbling into the wall, and swallowed hard.

"Oh…shit…" Soujirou stared straight ahead, barely cognizant of the strangers walking by him with quizzical looks. "I love her."

How did he not see it before? Because looking back now, it was so, so _obvious_! It was there all the way back to their first meeting when she'd so thoroughly intrigued and delighted him by being so completely disgusted by him. It had been there when he found her crying in the street, her heart shattered into so many pieces. It had been there when he took her to his home and gave her tea, patching up her broken heart with golden words like a beautiful piece of kintsugi art.

It had been there when he took her on a date to get Tsukushi and Tsukasa back together, when he'd invited her to the ski-resort after Tsukasa lost his memories, when he'd seen her in that gorgeous champaign silk gown dressed up only for him. When he'd held her close on the floor of an abandoned Nerima warehouse and sobbed into her lap because he'd been sure, so horribly sure, he had come so close to never seeing her again, never hearing his name on her lips again, never holding her again.

Tears welled in his eyes, and Soujirou passed a hand over his face, catching the droplets before they could roll down his face. Great kami above; Soujirou _loved_ her.

_Please_, Soujirou prayed as he forced himself to keep walking. _Please don't let me be too late._

#

"Oh, Shin!" Yuuki gushed as her beaming cousin settled the swaddled babe into her arms. "He's gorgeous!"

Shin puffed up his chest, fists on his hips. "Isn't he just?" He grinned stupidly. "I made that."

Yuuki rolled her eyes. "Shin."

"Well, okay," he conceded, tossing a wink back at his exhausted but glowing wife. "Haru helped. But only a little."

Yuuki snorted, bouncing a bit to keep her new cousin blissfully sleeping. "You're the worst. You know that, right?"

"He really is," Haru readily agreed, grinning at her husband's suddenly deflated ego.

Shin pouted at Haru, pressing a hand to his breast. "You've wounded me woman! Struck a mortal blow!" He staggered to the side and collapsed into a chair, his hand now fisted over his heart as if around the hilt of a dagger. "Alas, parting is such…sweet…sorrow…"

"Easy there, Romeo." Yuuki laughed and kicked at his ankle. "Don't go dying on us yet. You haven't given this little guy a name."

"Hmm." Shin sat up, a hand to his chin as he stared at his son with exaggerated concentration. "You make an excellent point." He tilted his head toward Haru and quirked an eyebrow. "What do you say, wife? Anything come to mind?"

"Ano sa…" Haru trailed off as she tried to lever herself further up in bed. She winced, obviously still sore from giving birth barely an hour before, and Shin was on his feet and across the room in an instant. He settled one hand on Haru's back and helped her lean forward, then adjusted her pillows so she could settle into them more comfortably. She smiled up at him, love oozing from her big, brown eyes.

"Arigato, Shin-kun."

Shin chuckled lowly and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "No, Haru-chan. I'm the one who should be thanking you." He reached out and cradled her cheek with his whole palm, meeting her eyes with a misty grin. "Arigato, Haru."

He ducked to kiss her just as the door slid open with a sharp _crack_.

Everyone jumped, Yuuki jostling the baby just enough that he winced in his sleep and started to fuss. She shushed him even as she spun around and took a step back from whomever it was that so suddenly intruded. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Soujirou standing spread-eagle in the door frame. He had sweat on his brow and tears in his wild eyes as he scanned the room. He stopped first on Haru and Shin—who'd leapt to his feet ready to defend his prone wife—and his eyes widened in disbelief before he continued looking, searching? He found Yuuki's bewildered gaze, dropped his eyes to the bundle in her arms, looked back at Haru and Shin.

Soujirou collapsed to his knees, hands still braced on either side of the door, and breathed out a reverent, "Thank God."

#

"Soujirou-san!"

Soujirou watched, numb, as Yuuki hurried over to the bed and anxiously deposited the baby she held in the arms of its father. A father who still stood protectively over the small, bewildered woman settled comfortably in her hospital bed after having obviously given birth not too long ago. A woman who was very obviously _not_ Yuuki.

"Thank _God_!" Soujirou said again, and suddenly Yuuki was there. Her hands were on his cheeks, his forehead, his neck, checking meticulously for what she undoubtedly suspected was a fever. Her hands felt blissfully warm against his cold, clammy skin, and he couldn't decide if he wanted to close his eyes to savor her touch or keep them open to drink in her glorious, concerned face.

"Soujirou-san, what happened? What's wrong?"

"Yuuki…" Soujirou reached out, unable to stop himself, and cupped her face with both hands. She stilled at his touch, her concerned expression deepening from confusion. He traced his thumb across her cheek to her jaw then followed its perfect line to her downturned mouth. "Yuuki…"

"Soujirou-san?"

Drawing her close, Soujirou leaned in and kissed her.

#

Yuuki's mind went blank. Well, no. It actually exploded. Or maybe her brain had melted and was oozing out her ears?

_Who cares! Soujirou is kissing you! On purpose! And __**wow**__!_

_Well, yes_, her rational side agreed. _But why_?

"OI!" Shin cried out, his voice barely cutting through the thrilling sensation of lips and teeth and tongue as Soujirou all but devoured her right there on the hospital floor. His hands were on her face then in her hair then on her neck, around her waist. He tilted left and pushed close then pulled back, tilted his head to the right, dove back in.

He nibbled and sucked at her lower lip, coaxing her mouth open with a quiet, desperate demand that she couldn't help but answer. The tip of his tongue barely had the chance to tease her own before Yuuki found herself suddenly and inexplicably torn away. Her mouth separated from Soujirou's with a wet _pop_, and she blinked dazedly as Shin's back appeared in her vision, blocking Soujirou from reaching her.

_What was __**that**__ about_?

#

Soujirou roared, going up on one knee with clenched fists as he prepared to tear this punk apart. How _dare_ he pull Yuuki away? Especially after Soujirou had finally, _finally_ gotten a taste of her sweet, honey lips!

"Two things, you bastard,'' the man said, holding up two fingers. "First, my kid is sleeping and my wife's exhausted, so shut the hell up." He lowered one finger, flipping Soujirou off. "Two, the fuck are you trying to do to my cousin, you son of a bitch?"

"Shin!"

The man half turned so he could glare at Yuuki while still keeping one eye on Soujirou. "No, Yuuki. This piece of shit has had this coming for _years_, and you really expect me to just sit by and let him get away with mauling you like that? Hell no!"

Soujirou opened his mouth to respond, but the baby started fussing. Shin groaned through clenched teeth. "Just fucking great." He pointed a finger at Yuuki. "Don't you dare move." He pivoted and pointed at Soujirou. "You either. I'll be right back."

The man turned to the bed to lean over his wife and child, cooing at the infant as his wife looked on in amused adoration. Soujirou didn't even try to think. He leaped to his feet and raced for Yuuki, scooping her into his arms with a startled yelp before racing out the room's still open door.

"Son of a bitch!" Shin's voice echoed down the hall after them, but Soujirou couldn't stop, couldn't even pause. He had something to tell Yuuki, and he needed to say it _right now_ before he lost his nerve and spent another year terrified to his soul that he'd lose her _again_.

Even if he hadn't yet lost her.

He was, however, pretty sure he'd lost his mind.

Someone was just stepping out of the elevator, leaving the doors wide open, and Soujirou picked up his speed so he could slide himself and Yuuki inside before the doors could fully close. Panting wildly, Soujirou slapped the nearest button watched between the closing doors as that man—Shin? Yuuki's cousin?—sprinted around the corner at the end of the hall, but he was too far; too late.

"Nishikado! I swear to all the kami—!" The doors closed, cutting Shin off, and Soujirou slumped against the wall, tilting his head back with a light thump as he tried to catch his breath.

"A-ano sa…Soujirou-san?"

"Kami, Yuuki." A shudder wracked Soujirou from head to toe and back. "Don't ever, _ever_ call me that again."

Yuuki flinched, still held bridal style in his arms. "H-hai, Nishikado-sa—"

"No!" Soujirou shot straight up, his eyes wild, and caught a glimpse of the light above the door. They were passing floor two, and if Soujirou had to guess, he'd say Yuuki's cousin had taken the stairs and was waiting for them at the bottom. Needing more time, Soujirou did the only thing he could think of: he slammed his finger into the emergency stop button.

#

Yuuki yelped as the elevator jerked to a stop, clinging to Soujirou's narrow shoulders with both hands. She had absolutely no idea what was going on. Well, okay, she obviously knew why the elevator had stopped, she'd seen Soujirou stop it, but what she didn't know was _why_. Why did he stop the elevator? Why did he carry her through the halls like a kidnapped princess? Why did he _kiss_ her?

…Would he do it again?

Yuuki's fingers twitched against the fabric of Soujirou's gingham button down, longing to pull his attention back to her and finish what he'd started. But she couldn't. Before anything else, she needed answers.

"Nishi—Souji—um…" Tears burned her eyes, and she bit down on her wobbly lip. What was she supposed to call him if he didn't want her saying his name at all?

"Yuuki," he said, lowering her carefully to her feet. "You…I didn't…" Soujirou groaned and took a step back, his fingers massaging his forehead as if to ward off a headache. "So, that guy is your cousin?"

_That guy_?

"Shin?" Yuuki frowned. "Of course, he is. I've talked about him before, you know. You've even see his picture."

Soujirou blinked at her, silent for a long moment before… "Ah! _That_ guy!" He frowned. "Didn't you say he hates me?"

Yuuki rolled her eyes. "He doesn't _hate_ you." She paused pressing her fingers to her lips as she considered that again. "Well, he might now, but before he just didn't like you."

Soujirou grimaced, dragging a hand through his long hair. "And that woman, she's his wife? And…and that's _her_ baby? With him?"

Brow furrowing, Yuuki's fingers twitched with the need to check him for a fever. He'd been clammy before, but maybe now? "Sou—um, are you feeling all right? You seem very…distracted."

Letting out a sudden groan, Soujirou squatted on the floor and gripped his hair with both hands. "I'm the world's biggest fool, Yuuki."

"Eh?! Of course you're not!" She crouched beside him, rubbing his back as her mind raced with the need to help him. What should she say? What should she _do_? "Why would you say that?"

He looked up at her, tears rimming his eyes, and Yuuki almost fell over from shock. She'd seen him cry before, when they were on that roof together almost four years ago when he finally, after so many years, got an answer to why Sara had wanted so badly to meet him on that roof. He'd been hurting that day, and Yuuki had taken him into her arms to offer what little comfort she could as he clung to her and sobbed into her neck. But then it was over as if it had never happened, and she'd never seen a hint of tears from him again until last year in Nerima when she'd been kidnapped. He had been utterly wrecked, near broken, and that was the look she saw now as he stared up at her, his brown eyes pleading for something she didn't know how to give because she didn't know what he needed.

Reaching out, she took his hands in hers and squeezed, her heart constricting as well. "What do you need?"

"You," he chocked out, clinging to her hands desperately. "I need you, Yuuki."

Going down on her knees, Yuuki settled closer to his side, never once releasing his hands. "I'm right here."

"No." He shook his head. "I don't mean right now, I mean…I mean…Gah! Why is this so hard!"

"Soujirou…" The name slipped out by accident, and Soujirou's head immediately snapped up again, his eyes meeting hers with a quiet intensity. She opened her mouth to apologize but found it suddenly and unexpectedly occupied with something very different. Soujirou was kissing her. Again.

"Yuuki," he said between kisses, trailing from her lips to her cheek to her temple then down her jaw. "Yuuki."

"Wh-what…?" She tried her best to ask but hitching breaths and sporadically kissed lips made it difficult to speak.

He pulled back just a bit and brushed the hair from her face with his whole palm. It was only then Yuuki realized she was somehow sitting on his lap with one hand clutching his shirt with the other tangled deep in his hair.

"I love you." It came out as a whisper, barely audible, but Yuuki did hear it, and her eyes went wide with shock.

"Wh-what?"

Looking her square in the eye, his face a mask of pain and resolve, Soujirou said again, "I love you."

"You…but…_why_?"

Soujirou's eyes darkened as they roved her face with so much intensity, so much _honesty_, that it made her ache deep inside her belly.

"Why?" he asked, tracing his thumb along her jaw. "How could I not?"

"No, I mean…why now? After all this time, what changed?"

He chuckled darkly, his eyes flicking to her lips for only a moment before coming back to her eyes. "Not a damned thing."

Yuuki's jaw dropped. "But…but you said…?"

"I didn't understand before, Yuuki. I've only ever loved one person in my life, but it was a soft, quiet love. A comfortable love. Sara was…safe. Easy. We had so much in common from our histories to our hobbies that it just made sense. You…" He swallowed hard. "You never made sense, Yuuki. Not from the very beginning."

Her eyes were burning again, and she tried her best to swallow the hot lump in her throat. "I don't understand…?"

"From the moment I first met you, you were nothing that made sense to me. You hated me for my arrogance and pride, you scorned and ridiculed me for my choices and habits. You made me look at myself in a way I'd never needed to before, and I think, even then, I loved you for it." He chuckled dryly. "It scared the shit out of me."

A laugh escaped Yuuki's throat—unexpected but not unwelcome—but she didn't interrupt.

"When I saw you that night, crying on the street, there was something inside of me that cried out with you. I told myself that I had to stop because you were Makino's friend, that I didn't want to get on the wrong side of her nasty temper, but how can that be true?" He shook his head. "Makino would never have known if I'd driven by and just left you there to cry. How could she? I wouldn't have told anyone, and it's not like you were expecting me to appear like that."

Yuuki shook her head, though the statement was obviously rhetorical.

"But I had to stop. I _needed_ to because you needed me. And again, it scared the shit out of me."

Leaning in, Soujirou kissed her again—soft and slow—before pulling back and continuing as if he hadn't just left her breathless and wanting.

"Things shifted after that. You didn't hate me anymore and insisted on seeing a good in me that I knew wasn't there. You took up tea ceremony to understand me better, and kami, Yuuki, you have no idea how much knowing that affected me. There was nothing I wanted more than to share that with you so when you asked me to visit, how could I possibly say no? But then I found out Sara was there, and I remembered suddenly how much love hurts. And it does, Yuuki. It _hurts_. Why else would I have been running from it for so long?"

What could she possibly say to that? Fortunately, he didn't seem to want an answer; he was kissing her again. She kissed him back, silently demanding he give her at least a bit more than last time. He obliged with several lingering pecks but again pulled back too soon.

"That day on the roof…Yuuki. I think I knew then. Really knew, but I couldn't say it. I couldn't even _think_ it. Because—"

"It scared the shit out of you?" She grinned cheekily as Soujirou's expression turned shocked. Not surprising; she'd never said anything so vulgar in her life, never mind to his face. He recovered quickly, snorting.

"Yeah." Sighing, he dropped his forehead to rest against hers and they sat in silence for a long, long time.

"If you knew then," Yuuki said, finding her inner courage and drawing it up. "Why now?"

"Nerima scared me, Yuuki. You have no idea how much."

Yuuki scoffed. "Considering how scared I was—"

He shook his head. "You must have been terrified, and you have no idea how much I regret that, but Yuuki, you had to know I would come for you."

Eyes and throat burning again—kami, why were her emotions such a mess?—Yuuki nodded. "I never doubted it, but I really wished you wouldn't."

"_Never_." Soujirou pulled back, grasping Yuuki's shoulders in a firm grip as he stared her right in the eyes. "I would never abandon you Yuuki. Ever."

Lips trembling, Yuuki nodded. "I know."

"And that—" His voice broke, but Soujirou cleared his throat and pushed on. "That's why you can't understand how terrified _I_ was. You knew I would come for you, Yuuki. _I_ knew I would come—of course I would—but the thought of what _that man_ was doing to you…that I might be too late…that you…"

A shudder wracked his whole body, and Soujirou drew her into a tight, near suffocating embrace. He spoke into her neck, his warm breath ghosting across her throat and down the front of her work yukata. "I told myself it was better this way; keeping my distance. You were only friends with us, with me, and yet _that man_…I thought I could handle it for your sake because I was selfish, because I knew you still loved me even though I didn't…couldn't…love you back. But then, last week…"

"Last week?" Yuuki prompted, her hand trailing up his back to cradle his head. She massaged the back of his neck with the tips of her fingers, occasionally skimming the hairs at the nape. He shivered and held her tighter.

"I saw you on his motorcycle."

"Eh?" Yuuki pulled back to see his face. Soujirou resisted for only a moment before reluctantly loosening his hold. She took his face in both hands. "You saw me riding with Shin?"

He nodded.

"And you…" Her lips quirked in a soft smirk of understanding, suddenly putting two and two together regarding his strange behavior the night of Shin's promotion celebration. "You thought we were dating? That he was my _boyfriend_?"

Soujirou groaned and closed his eyes but didn't pull his face away from her hands. "You're mocking me."

Yuuki laughed at that, giddily, exuberantly, then pulled him forward for a sudden kiss that had his eyes flying wide open with shock. Then he was kissing her back with fervor, and Yuuki loved every second of it. It was another long pause before Yuuki finally pulled back, grinning, and shook her head.

"If I knew all it would take to get you to confess like this was a fake boyfriend, I would have done it _years_ ago."

Rolling his eyes, Soujirou pulled her close and kissed her again.

#

Yuuki hummed as she wiped down the glass cases. Tsukushi had gone home almost an hour ago to help Shigeru get ready, so Yuuki offered to close up for the day. It was early still, only three p.m., but Tsukasa had, of course, bought out the shop so Tsukushi would have no excuses to linger longer than necessary and mess up his perfectly planned wedding schedule. Yuuki giggled just remembering the aghast look on his face when she'd told him there was still work to do even if there weren't any more sweets to sell.

"Don't worry," she'd said, patting his hand. "It will only take an hour or so; I'll still be in time for the ceremony."

He'd grumbled at that, of course he had, but he'd just rolled his eyes and patted her shoulder with an awkward scowl. "I'll send Soujirou in an hour. You'll be done by then, right?"

"An hour should be just fine."

True to her word, Yuuki was very nearly done now, and she still had almost a whole ten minutes left of her hour. Right on time, she heard the rumble of a motorcycle and looked up just as Soujirou pulled up in front of the shop. She beamed at him through the glass doors as he pulled off his helmet, tussling his long hair so it fell properly instead of sticking up. He caught her eyes through the glass and winked, which made her roll her eyes. He was always such a flirt.

_But you love it._

Yuuki turned to hide her grin; she really, _really_ did.

The doors slid open with their usual tone. "Yo, Yuuki. Ready to go?"

"Hai. I just need to get changed real quick."

"Oh?" He came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, drawing her tightly against him. His lips pressed against her bare neck he asked, "I don't suppose you need any help?"

Giggling, Yuuki pushed him back and turned around, keeping one hand firmly on his chest. "Not today, I don't. You'll make us late."

Groaning, Soujirou dropped his arms and stepped back. Leaning against the glass counter, he waved her off. "Better hurry, then. You do not want to know Tsukasa's 'punishment game' for being late."

Nodding, Yuuki rushed to the employee locker room and quickly changed into her blouse and jeans with a swoop of giddy excitement in her belly. She hadn't missed for a second that he'd chosen to bring his bike today, and the thought of finally living out her dream had her almost weak in the knees.

Not bothering to unpin her hair, Yuuki grabbed her purse from her locker and slipped into her sneakers before hurrying back into the front of the shop. Soujirou was studying one of Okami-san's haiku scrolls hanging on the wall. It was the one from her sailor lover, and one of Yuuki's personal favorites.

"Found love fills empty spaces," Soujirou read, his voice a soft, rumbling timbre.

"Hai." Yuuki slid up beside him and looped her hands around his elbow, holding him to her.

"Thank you, Yuuki."

She looked up at him as he gazed down at her, the love in his expression undisguised. A smile tugged at her lips. "For what?"

"For finding me." He took her hand in his and pressed a kiss onto the back. "You filled my empty spaces."

* * *

Kaliea: It's. Finally. Done! Stars, it's about time! I've only been working on this stupid story for like...how long ago did I post Weakness? *double checks* Eleven years ago. Damn. I've been working on this story for eleven years. Hopefully, it was worth the wait ^-^; I feel like the ending isn't as solid as it could be and Soujirou kind of went way out of character near the end, but overall, I'm pretty happy with it :)

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to drop a review ;)

Ja ne!


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